Crew on first post-pandemic Greek cruise contract virus

A dozen crew members on the first cruise ship to dock in Greece after the coronavirus lockdown have tested positive, the Greek coastguard said on Monday.

The Maltese-flagged Mein Schiff 6 operated by German travel giant TUI, with 922 passengers on board, is currently moored off the Aegean island of Milos, a coastguard spokeswoman told AFP.

The positive results surfaced after tests on 150 among the crew's 666 crew members, she said.

"They are assistant staff," the spokeswoman said. "They have been isolated on board, and we are awaiting instructions from the public health agency on where the ship is to sail."

The cruise ship had sailed from the Cretan port of Iraklio on Sunday evening and was heading to Piraeus near Athens.

The passengers had a clean bill of health before the voyage, the spokeswoman said.

The TUI ship was the first to return to Greek waters after lockdown measures imposed in March, local operators said, docking at Iraklio in mid-September.

© 2020 AFP